West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1887-01-13
DRINK BEPUDDLED.
THE INQUEST INTO THE CAUSES
or the Recent Railroad Disaster De
Nelops Testimony Showing that
tho Freight Engineer was Hi
lariously Intoxicated


lariously Intoxicated
TUFIN, o., January S-Tbe coroner be.
gan bis examination into the causes leadins
10 the recent wreck on the Baltimlrs anG
ohio at Republic. The inquest was bold IL
the Town Hail, which has a seating capacit,
OF zVOO and it was crowded with spectators.
Though has already been ELECTED from the
testimony TO excite the Utmost mitigation
among all classes here. Il is now pretty GER.
tain that ths engineer II the freight train
was befudd'el with drink when the accident
occurred, or it would not have been 50 tisas.
trous In lis effects. The testimony shows
the freight men were running on the known
Time OF the limited express The first wiz
ness was +. Fletcher, conductor of tn,
freight train, He said:
A DRUNKEN ENGINEER
Ed Killer was engineer OF the freight, and
w. J. Cullison hremln. We ran froE Tiffin
70 the Seneca siding, about three and one.
half miles east OF here, and side,tracked for
the esst>bCuni express. After this trair
passed we had IS minutes in which TO make
the Republic siding We let this place with
I'D pounds OF steam. After going two miles
noticed that the train was slackeuing.
went forward over the cars Is in number
TO the EN- CINE to SEQ what was wrong.
found that the steam hat run down TO
pounds L op me the door of ths furnace
and looked at the Gre then looked at my
watch, and saw that we had but four min>
utes until M. 6. the west bound cypress. wrs
due. took red aud white lantern and ran
ahead to flag herr 1 got about 100 yards in
"he curve and sigualed to stop.
As the express approached l noticed that
the engineer hal reversed his engine. In
tbs meantime the freight had come to a
stand, ana the engineer had shu II steam
and Jumped oH when the collision occurred
Inc engineer had been drinking. l saw him
taks two drinks OF whisky at Bloom lal. and
two at Fostoria. When saw wo had bu
four minutes to make the siding at Repu bic
the engineer did not seem 10 realiz, the dan
ger ahead. tried to get passengers out of
the burning cars. Ole man was jlmmel be.
tween The smoker and ladies' car. tried 10
get him out but tho flames drove Inc away
and he had to burn. / heard no shrieks or
cries OK Others in the burning cars.
w. j. Cullison, fireman on the freight. w -
next called. He sad he was a farm hand
and had been on the TO ad but three weeks
and never knew anything about the business
before. He coutinu ID:
we had trouble in keeping up the fire. We
hsI l4O pounds OF steam when we left Seneca
siding. The train ran four or FIVE miles when
the steam was down to6p pounds We were
then going about three niles per hour The
conductor came iu aud looked at the fire and
said it was all right. Thea tn, con Iuctor
went ahead to fl z, and seeing the express
coming, he ye LED back for ul to Jump. After
the collision tried to get persons out. Isaw
persons in there burning, but was so excited
l could tell but little about it.
Charles, Snyder, OF Columbus, o.. was
front brakeman on the freight. He said:
SCARCITY OF WATER
was in the cab OF the engine and noticed
chat they had hut one gauge of water when
they shoIld have at least three. l was going
ahead to flag, but the conductor grabbed t1e
lantern AMI went. / knew nothing about
either the conductor or engineer drinking. At
the collision saw a man hanging half wav
ou5 OF the smoker, wac call ID 10 me for Gods
AXE to help him out The man was supposed
to bs NJ. H. Parks, OF Washington. 1 heard
no one on the inside of the smoker.
Thomas F. Heskett, of Wheeling, w. Va.
conductor Of the express on tie night OF the
collision, testified:
The express was three minutes late at r..
public. had about sixty passengers, IA or
10 in the smoker. OK that number 3 escaped
from the smoker, . by being thrown out
OF the top OF the car uninjurei AMI 3
somewhat injured think there were not
more than ten killed. have IN my posses.
sion card thrown from the smoker bearing
the name Of NJ. II. PARKS, Washington. d. c.
There was writing on the card which broth
er OF the dead man recogniz d. OF the num-
Der killed the names Of are known. b. J.
Hale of Rowan, Ind, was the rear brake.
man on the freigat, and when the collision
occurred be took lantern and went TO tina
rear about mile to Fl Y any other train that
might be coming.
John =. Gardner, Of Mech 1nicsville. Ia.
who was returning from a business trim a.
Maryland, was a passenger on the doomed
express, and is among the dead. He was a
member Of Helmer & Co.. dealers in general
merchandise.
John Ober, Of Milton Center. Union
county, o., is looking for his father. Ovid
Ooer' who purchased a ticket Monday morn
ing at Harrisburg. Pa. for Chicago and is
supposed % have been on the ira n. inasmucb
as he has not b,en heard from.
THE BRIDE NEARLY FROZEN.
A Runaway Match Which Almost